Cork-extractor.



J. H. A. STAPLEY.

CORK EXTRACTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, I914.

Patented May 18, 1915.

W M W M m 6 PM E NORRIS PETERS 60-, FHOTC LITHO.. WASHINGTON, D, C.

AENT rn o.

JOHN HENRY AUBREY STAPLIEY, OF HORLEY, ENGLAND.

CORK-EXTRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915,.

Application filed March 25, 1914. Serial No. 827,070.

Cork-Extractor, and of which the following.

is a specification.

This invention relates to means for extracting corks and other perforable stoppers, (hereinafter termed corks) employed for sealing bottles and like vessels.

In carrying this invention into effect, a hollow needle or piercer is employed, which is inserted through the cork until a port or passage at or near the end of the needle communicates with the space inside the bottle neck between the base of the cork and the surface of the liquid contained in the bottle.

The needle is provided with a handle whereby it can be forced throughthecork closing the bottle, the handle being adapted to form a stop to prevent the needle being forced 'too far into the bottle. The outer end of the needle is connected to a source, of pressure, and upon sufficient pressure fluid being'admitted by way of the hollow needle to the space at the base of the cork, the said cork is caused to leave the bottle.

An example of construction of apparatus suitable for extracting corks according to this invention, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 shows the hollow needle detached and in vertical section, and Fig. 2' shows on a smaller scale a complete apparatus comprising a hand pump connected with the needle and by means'of which the required pressure can be generated and conveyed to the space beneath the cork.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the needle A is formed with a sharp point A at its end, so as to render it suitable to be forced through the cork, and the said needle has a central bore extending from its upper .end and terminating before it reaches the point A there being a lateral port or passage A near the base of the bore of the needle forming a communication bet-ween the said bore and the exterior, the port A being in such a position as not to become choked by particles of cork which would probably enter the port if it was situated at the actual point of the needle.

The upper end of the needle A is formed or fitted with a cross handle B which can be conveniently'grasped to enable the operator to force the needle through the cork, and in the example shown, the needle is provided or formed with across bar 0 towhich the handle B-isconnected.

The length of the handle B is greater than the inner diameter of the neck of the bottle,

and the port A? is so placedin the needle that the distance between the same and the handle is less than that of the length of the neck of the bottle, so that thesaid port cannot pass below the bottle neck even when the needle is forcedsufliciently far throughthe .cork for the handle to contact with the upper end of the bottle or with the outer end of the cork. i

The upper end of the tubular needle is fitted into a tubular connecting piece D,

from which extends a flexible tube D ter-' minating in a non-return valve E of any suitable construction, from which a'slightly flexible tube F extends which may conven iently consist of a piece ofcopper tubing, and which tube F communicates at G with the lower end of a pump G, and the tube F may be connected by a clip F for instance to the barrel of the pump G.

The pump G is supported in the example of construction shown by a base H and a socket H and G is the operating handle of the pump. i

The apparatus described is utilized by the v operatorseizing the handle B of the needle,

and thereby forcing the needle A through the cork of a bottle, as indicated at Fig. 2,

until the port A of the needle is located below the base of the cork. Air is then compressed by operating the pump G and passes by the tube F, through the non-return valve E, and into the neck of the bottle below the cork, the air so forced into the'neck of the bottle being prevented from returning by the non-return valve E. Theair pressure so introduced beneath the cork will force the latter out of thebottle, and since the space below the cork of the bottle into which the air pressure is introduced is comparatively small it will be readily understood that even with one stroke of the pump handle G considerable pressure is introduced beneath the cork, and this is generally suflicient to cause the cork to be forced out of the bottle and to vent the cork on the needle whipping round to an undesirable extent when it isdriven out of the bottle.

It is obvious that any source of pressure fluid could be substituted for the pump before referred to, such for instance as pressure stored in a compression cylinder. It is also obvious that the quantity of pressure fluid required to be introduced below the cork is insuflicient to constitute any danger.

Instead of employing a hollow needle-as illustrated above, a hollow needle could be employed of corkscrew formation. This might facilitate the insertion of the needle in the cork, and would permit, where desired, of assisting in the extraction of the cork by pulling on 1 the handle B. Thus corks could be extracted partly by pressure conveyed beneath the cork, and partly by being drawn in the ordinary way.

Iclaim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent 'is:

A cork extractor comprising a hollow needle adapted to be forced through, a cork closing a bottle, a cross handle on the said needle of greater'length than the inner diameter of the neck of the bottle, the said needle having a port formed therein near its lower end and at a distance from the handle less than the length of the neck of the bottle, a flexible tube connected at one end to the outer end of the said needle, a valve casing, to the outlet from which the other end of said flexible tube is connected, a non-return valve in said casing, a handoperated compress-ion pump, and a tube connecting the outlet from said pump to the inlet to said valve casing, as substantially set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY AUBREY STAPLEY.

Witnesses:

GRIFFITH BREWER, WILLIAM A. MARSHALL.

G'opies of this patent may be obtained'for five-cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents ZWashington, DQG. 

